Pears Preserved in Honey and Cooked Wine
Firm pears simmered in cooked wine and honey, scented with a few spices. The sugar of honey and the acidity of the wine preserve them for a long time, and their dark syrup coats them with a deep flavor.
Firm pears simmered in cooked wine and honey, scented with a few spices. The sugar of honey and the acidity of the wine preserve them for a long time, and their dark syrup coats them with a deep flavor.
The pears of our orchards last but one season, so we kept them in honey and reduced wine, as the Romans taught us. We let them steep gently until they drank the syrup and became dark like amber. In the heart of winter, when the orchard sleeps under the frost, such sweetness cheers the table better than gold. Taste some, and remember the past summer.
- •Firm pears — a few (fruit to preserve)
- •Honey — a good portion (sweet preservative)
- •Cooked wine (defrutum) — a measure (tangy reduction)
- •Coriander and cumin seeds — a pinch (spices)
Pears Preserved in Honey and Cooked Wine
Firm pears simmered in cooked wine and honey, scented with a few spices. The sugar of honey and the acidity of the wine preserve them for a long time, and their dark syrup coats them with a deep flavor.
Why this dish? To preserve the fruits of Gaul's orchards beyond autumn, they were preserved in honey and reduced wine (defrutum), a technique inherited from Rome. On Clotilde's royal table, these sweet pears prolonged the taste of Burgundian harvests into the heart of winter.
The pears of our orchards last but one season, so we kept them in honey and reduced wine, as the Romans taught us. We let them steep gently until they drank the syrup and became dark like amber. In the heart of winter, when the orchard sleeps under the frost, such sweetness cheers the table better than gold. Taste some, and remember the past summer.
Ingredients (period version)
- Firm pears — a few (fruit to preserve)
- Honey — a good portion (sweet preservative)
- Cooked wine (defrutum) — a measure (tangy reduction)
- Coriander and cumin seeds — a pinch (spices)
Ingredients
- Firm pears (e.g., Conference) — 6 (fruit)
- Honey — 100 g (preserving syrup)
- Red wine — 50 cl (to be reduced to cooked wine)
- Coriander seeds — 1 tsp (spice)
- A pinch of cumin — 1 pinch (spice)
- Dash of vinegar — 1 tbsp (preserving acidity)
Method
- Reduce the wine by half over low heat to obtain a syrupy 'cooked wine'.
- Add the honey, coriander seeds, cumin, and vinegar.
- Peel the pears (leave whole or halved) and poach them in this syrup for 25 to 35 minutes, until tender and colored.
- Let cool in the syrup; store in a jar in the refrigerator, submerged, for several days.
- Serve warm or cold, drizzled with the reduced syrup.
How it was made : The Romans, and later medieval cuisines, preserved fruits in honey or defrutum (reduced grape must), both sweetening and natural antiseptic. Apicius describes such preservation of fruits and meats. Since sugar was unknown, honey and reduced wine were the only ways to keep sweetness until the bad season.
The contemporary twist : Plate one glistening pear per serving, drizzled with its purple syrup, with a crumble of fresh cheese: a 'mulled wine' dessert inspired by the Merovingians.
Sources : Apicius, De re coquinaria (preservation of fruits) · Columella, De re rustica (defrutum and sapa)
Clotilde · Charactorium
